The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser assembly comprising a fluid dispenser and packaging. The fluid dispenser defines a fluid reservoir, a deformable actuating wall, and an outlet orifice. By depressing the actuating wall, it is possible to cause the volume of the reservoir to decrease, thereby causing the pressure inside the reservoir to increase, thereby causing the fluid to be delivered through the outlet orifice, e.g. in the form of a jet of sprayed fluid. In addition, the packaging defines a casing that surrounds the dispenser, optionally leaving its outlet orifice apparent, the actuating wall being pushed in via the casing. As a result, the fluid dispenser is not visible because it is masked by the casing of the packaging. The user presses on the casing, substantially on the actuating wall of the dispenser. However, the casing may be provided with a window through which a portion of the dispenser is visible.
A fluid dispenser that can be used in this type of dispenser assembly is described, for example, in Document FR 2 791 645. That document describes a dispenser that, in the initial storage state prior to be used, is very thin. This is made possible because the spring that enables the deformable actuating wall to be returned to its rest position is fully compressed. The outlet orifice is initially closed off by a removable closure element which prevents air from penetrating into the reservoir. The reservoir then contains a very tiny amount of fluid only, and the spring is fully compressed in an almost flat state.
Such a prior art dispenser is easy to dispose in a packaging casing so that it is completely encased except for its outlet orifice. It is advantageous for the casing to be provided with a notch or a pre-cut enabling the removable closure element to be removed easily to unmask the outlet orifice.
Although the casing of the dispenser already offers an acceptably large area on which to place indications, such as the trademark, the nature, and the use of the fluid, it is sometimes necessary to have a larger indication-bearing area. In addition, the casing surrounding the dispenser is not particularly aesthetically-pleasing in appearance. For a perfume, for example, it may be advantageous for the dispenser assembly to be evocative of the shape of the bottle in which the perfume is sold.
To remedy these drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention makes provision for the packaging to further comprise a hinged flap that can be folded over onto the casing so as to be superposed thereon, the flap being secured to or integral with the casing via a side edge, the flap comprising an outside face and an inside face serving to come into contact with the casing when the flap is folded over on the casing. By adding this hinged flap that can be folded over onto the casing, it is possible to double the working indication-bearing area of the dispenser assembly, and it is possible to protect the casing particularly where it covers the deformable actuating wall of the dispenser. The dispenser assembly is then in the form of a small book which, in the closed state, presents the outside face of the hinged flap, and, in the open state, presents the inside face of the casing and the inside face of the flap. Once it is open, the user can actuate the dispenser by pressing on the casing.
Advantageously, the outside face incorporates a portion in relief defining an internal volume, said portion in relief projecting frontwards from the outside face. Thus, in the closed state, only the portion in relief of the outside face of the flap is visible, the dispenser being completely masked by the casing and by the folded-over flap. Advantageously, the portion in relief is in the form of a bottle of perfume. Thus, the user can immediately recognize the shape of the bottle in which the perfume is actually sold in the shops. As a result, the dispenser assembly of the invention lends itself particularly well to being used as a sample distributed free of charge in shops for promotional and test purposes. After the user has actuated the dispenser, the user can buy a bottle of perfume whose shape and design are already apparent on the outside of the flap at the portion in relief. Thus, the sample/dispenser assembly makes it possible firstly to become acquainted with the intrinsic characteristics of the perfume, and secondly to recognize the bottle of perfume actually sold in the shops. In short, the dispenser assembly gives a dual indication related both to the contents and to the container of the perfume. Naturally, perfume may be replaced by any other fluid, such as a lotion, a lacquer, a solvent, nail varnish remover, etc.
Although a portion in relief is preferred, it is also possible for the outside face of the flap to be provided merely with a two-dimensional graphical representation.
However, the portion in relief is preferred and it may, for example, contain a fluid. The fluid may be identical to the fluid in the dispenser, but it may also be a fluid associated with the fluid of the dispenser, or a fluid of the same product range as the fluid of the dispenser. For example, the dispenser may contain a perfume, and the portion in relief may contain a cream or a make-up.
In a characteristic of the invention, the inside face of the flap is provided with a peel-off or tear-off portion forming an opening through which to access the back of the portion in relief. Preferably, the portion in relief is part of an insert held between two sheets respectively forming the outside face and the inside face of the flap. It is thus possible to extract the insert from the flap via the inside face by removing the tear-off or peel-off portion.
In a practical embodiment, the outside face of the flap is provided with a window through which the portion in relief projects. Thus, only the portion in relief is visible through the window, and the remainder or the base of the insert is disposed and hidden between the two sheets forming the hinged flap.
Similarly, the casing is made up of two sheets between which the dispenser is disposed, the dispenser advantageously being fixed to one of the sheets. In another practical embodiment, the flap and the casing are made in one piece. The packaging may be made of a single sheet of card, of plastic, or metal or of a compound thereof.